Highly Specialist Pharmacist - Medicine | Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and motivated clinical pharmacist to join our established, friendly medicine team.

• Acting as a role model and to deliver, develop and evaluate highly specialist clinical pharmacy services in accordance with the objectives set by the line manager.
• Delivering clinical pharmacy services to the specialty of Respiratory and support the service to provide care to other specialties within the Emergency and Integrated Care (EIC) division. Specialties include: Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Stroke, Care of the Elderly, Rheumatology, Acute and Emergency Medicine.
• To actively contribute to improvement initiatives aimed at optimising medicines use in line with local and national priorities.
• To lead the day to day running of the medicine team and deputise for the Lead Directorate Pharmacist – Medicine.
• To support and supervise less experienced pharmacists within the directorate.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.

We value the unique perspectives and experiences that diverse teams bring and are committed to creating an environment where all voices are heard, respected, and empowered to succeed.

If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful.

Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

1. Clinical Practice

• Be responsible and accountable for the clinical pharmacy service provided to medical patients.
• • Review prescriptions for accuracy and legality and identify actual or potential problems.
• Ensure the effective supply of medicines suitable for use as an inpatient and appropriately labelled for discharge if applicable.
• Take steps to ensure the effective outcomes of treatment with medicines.
• Monitor patients for potential and actual adverse effects of their medicines.
• Ensure patients understand the purpose of their medicines and deal with any practical issues that may prevent the optimal use of their medicines.
• Support the planning of patient discharge with respect to medication, including the transcription of requests for dispensing.
• Demonstrate professional accountability to patients.
• Liaise with the Lead Directorate Pharmacist to provide and develop clinical pharmacy services to the Directorate including ward pharmacy and medicines management.
• Aim to provide safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in the patients as allocated.
• Make appropriate referrals where necessary; ensure the clear and effective communication of patients’ pharmaceutical needs to other pharmacists and health care professionals both within the trust and in other health care environments.
• Demonstrate and apply general pharmaceutical knowledge, and where applicable, specialist clinical pharmacy knowledge in core areas in order to plan, manage, monitor and review therapeutic programmes for patients allocated, thereby ensuring the quality of patient care.
• Use prescribing skills appropriately in line with individual qualifications, experience and service requirements.
• Demonstrate appropriate clinical reasoning and judgement.
• Be readily available and keen to answer any general medicine related pharmaceutical queries from patients, pharmacists and other members of staff within pharmacy as well as from other health care professionals including medical staff.
• Proactively provide advice and information on any pharmaceutical issues within the medicine directorate to pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals as needed.
• Demonstrate awareness and commitment to the Trust’s Clinical Governance Agenda.
• Support the maintenance and development of the Medicines Management Initiatives.

1. Leadership

• Act as a role model for junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students in the rotation.
• Identify and promote best (evidence based) practice with the aim of improving patient experience and outcomes.
• Ensure the delivery of the Trust clinical governance agenda in relation to medicines.
• Motivate and inspire others (within pharmacy and throughout the Trust) to improve care and create a pleasant working environment.
• Demonstrate innovation and improvement within the field of pharmacy practice.
• Work collaboratively with healthcare staff, managers, academics, improvers and patients to deliver the service development agenda for medicine in accordance with agreed objectives.
• Contribute to the development of clinical pharmacy services in line with local and national objectives
• Contribute to pharmacy research initiatives being undertaken within the department.
• Represent Pharmacy at appropriate multidisciplinary and divisional meetings.

1. Management of service

• Ensure national and local agendas are delivered.
• Follow and conform to relevant standards of care.
• Lead on the response to medication related incidents within the directorate and ensure appropriate action is taken to improve safety.
• Identify and manage risks in relation to medicines use according to policy/protocol.
• Effectively monitor and report on drug expenditure within the directorate.
• Develop and review clinical guidelines.
• Delegate duties / responsibilities appropriately to junior staff.
• Evaluate the performance of junior staff against identified criteria using local and National tools and General Level Competence Framework.
• Provide evaluated pharmaceutical and financial information in accordance with the needs of the directorate.
• Deputise for the Lead Directorate Pharmacist for Medicine and other senior clinical pharmacists as required.

1. Evaluation of Service

• Monitor clinical pharmacy in order to ensure safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in these patients.
• Evaluate the quality of pharmacy services to ensure they are recognised as leading the field in line with corporate objectives and the clinical governance agenda.
• Undertake assessments/evaluations as required e.g. of new products within the allocated speciality.

1. Research and Service Development

• Demonstrate a critical approach towards pharmacy practice within the Medicine Directorate.
• Undertake own practice research and disseminate findings
• Integrate research evidence into practice.
• Develop clinical pathways within speciality area.
• Actively seek to improve the ward and clinical services provided using Quality Improvement Methodology.
• Assist with the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate projects.

1. Education and Training

• Participate in the training and supervision of junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and undergraduate pharmacy students in providing and improving the clinical pharmacy service to medical patients.
• Identify training needs of junior staff in order to undertake their required roles.
• Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff.
• Provide education and training to pharmacy and other staff.
• Evaluate the training provided.
• Participate in the clinical training of ward staff.
• Identify own training needs and maintain a portfolio of practice.
• Participate in the Departmental Education and Training Programme and ensure that a written record of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is maintained for review at appraisal.
• Participate in in-service clinical pharmacy teaching and multi-disciplinary teaching as appropriate.
• Actively participate in the development of current and future pharmacy workforce
• Act as a GPhC trainee pharmacist Practice Supervisor/ Educational Supervisor (depending on experience) as appropriate to the post.

1. Other

• Maintain a broad level of pharmacy practice through ensuring a sound base of pharmaceutical knowledge.
• Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.
• Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.
• Participate in education and training programmes to develop skills as part of a commitment to continuing education and the concept of lifelong learning.
• Be aware of, and apply, relevant legislation such as the H & SAWA, COSHH, Medicines Act, GMP etc.
• At all times practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
• Follow legal, ethical, professional and employers’ codes of conduct.
• Any other duties as reasonably required by the Chief Pharmacist.

This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and his/her manager.

All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.

This advert closes on Monday 31 Mar 2025